Tom Perriello, a former congressman running for governor in Virginia, embodies the idea that “Hillary or Bernie” is a false choice, and if he wins it could signal that the broader party is on the way to accepting that idea too. He has promised to stand up to both Trump and the entrenched business interests that dominate state politics. His pitch to voters is emotional, saying Trump’s victory signaled a new moment in American politics and a more progressive pushback is needed. There are hot races all over the state, including for the Democratic and Republican nominations for governor and Lt. Governor, plus many hotly contested House of Delegates races, so make sure your voice is heard!

The general election will be held November 7.

The three Republican candidates for Governor are doing their own campaign blitzes for their Tuesday primary. For comparison purposes, turnout in 2009, the last VA Dem gubernatorial primary, was 319,168. Although Obama himself has stayed quiet, 30 of his former staffers signed onto a letter endorsing Perriello, and Perriello is airing ads around the state featuring Obama stumping for him in Charlottesville seven years ago.

Given that the Virginia’s governor’s race will be one of the most-watched in the nation this fall, there will be a lot more zeroes on future report totals and a significant influx of out-of-state money.

Northam, a more traditional candidate, opposes tax increases. Stewart would have had a much better chance of winning his party’s nomination if the Virginia GOP had made a decision to have a party convention rather than a primary.

“I started working at the age of 12 in my family grocery store stocking shelves and sweeping floors and bagging groceries”, Gillespie said. “Growing up there was no question that this law and order dystopic language was very appealing there, but I think people are beyond that”. As evidence that the race is heating up, late last week it was reported that Mr. Perriello had loaned his campaign some $150,000 and that a PAC favoring Mr. Northam had launched attacks against Mr. Perriello. A Perriello triumph, however, could signal the evolution of the party and the potency of a national message-and that backers of both Sanders and Clinton have found at least one candidate to agree on. Elizabeth Warren and heavily bankrolled by Democratic super donors George Soros and Donald Sussman. (Perriello has since apologized for the vote.) His record is strongly pro-gun, and he once boasted of his “A” rating from the National Rifle Association.

The Democratic primary contest has been a hard fought battle between Northam, the state party establishment’s favorite, and insurgent candidate Tom Perriello. Bernie Sanders, who has backed and campaigned for Perriello, and outgoing Gov. Terry McAuliffe that could affect the party’s 2020 presidential nomination. He also has scored a slew of endorsements – having racked up the support of 67 of the 87 Republican members of the state General Assembly, a majority of the members on Republican State Central Committee and over 30 local party chairs, according to his campaign.

Perriello says that his skills as peace negotiator, serving as president Obama’s special envoy to the Great Lakes region of Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo, makes him uniquely suited to listen to people and bring them together in what he calls a “Bobby Kennedy style coalition”.

On the Republican side, underdog Corey Stewart has made his devout support for Trump a dominant focus of his campaign.